Digital Short Series Competition

With the influx of new technology over the past 10 years, it’s not surprising that some of the most innovative storytelling now resides in the digital space. Jump online and browse over to one of thousands of content-sharing platforms and you’ll find that impactful, entertaining series don’t always equate to big budget or hour-long productions. Going into its fifth year, SeriesFest’s Digital Short Series Competition has discovered and honored exciting new digital short series that have gone on to major streaming platforms.

SUBMISSIONS

Please carefully review the deadlines, material requirements, and guidelines listed below and on our FilmFreeway page. Fill out your applications and get your projects in before the final deadline. Got questions? Check out our Submission FAQs or email us at info@seriesfest.com.

OFFICIAL SELECTIONS

Once submissions are closed, our team of experienced producers, writers, programmers, and filmmakers carefully reviews each application and pilot to narrow it down to a select group of comedies, dramas, and unscripted series representing the highest reviewed submissions in each category. Official Selections to be screened at SeriesFest: Season 9. Official Selections are determined on the basis of the following elements:

Originality and creativity
Overall quality of all elements & aspects of the production of each entry, including, without limitation, writing, acting, directing, editing, etc.
Adherence to and appropriateness for a particular format or type of program
The ability to develop story through a first season and thorough drafting of the arc

WINNERS & PRIZES

Official Selections are up for the following awards:

Best of Digital Short Series
Best Performance
Best Director
Best Writer
Audience Award

Winners will be determined by a jury of high-profile industry and talent during the annual festival and recognized with an award at our Awards Ceremony, included in our media announcement and showcased on our website. Past jurors include David Person (IFC), Liz Shannon Miller (Collider), Kuye Youngblood (BricTV), Jose Acevedo (Comedy Central), and Brian Newman (Sub-Genre). Scroll down to see the complete list of last year’s jurors and winners. Pilots in this competition are also eligible for the Level Forward Impact Award.

CAZ MATTHEWS FUND

Driven by a mission to champion filmmakers whose projects promote tolerance, acceptance, and inclusivity in the television landscape, The Caz Matthews Fund provides financial contributions to qualifying SeriesFest independent content creators. Each year, SeriesFest curates a short list of projects which have been accepted as official selections for the festival that meet the Caz Matthews Fund requirements. The SeriesFest team then collaborates with Caz to interview and identify creators to receive a one-time financial donation from the Caz Matthews Fund, subject to granting a special credit to SeriesFest, for that particular work.

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KEY DATES & FEES

	Earlybird Deadline NOV 17, 2022	Regular Deadline JAN 06, 2023	Final Deadline FEB 15, 2023
Standard	~~$50~~	~~$70~~	$100
FilmFreeway Gold Member	~~$40~~	~~$55~~	$85
Student	~~$30~~	~~$35~~	$45

ENTRY MATERIALS

Produced Pilot
Submitted via FilmFreeway’s Secure Online Screener system. Each episode must be under 15 minutes. Creators are encouraged to submit multiple episodes totaling 20 minutes of run time. Foreign production is eligible.

Series Format Deck
All submissions must also include a Series Format Deck to be uploaded to the application page under “Files & Attachments.” An effective Series Format Deck introduces your project in a visually exciting and emotionally powerful way. It captures the reader’s imagination, allowing them to see the full scope of the series and embrace the characters.

The Series Format Deck should be no longer than 15 pages and include the following:

Log Line
Pilot Synopsis
Season One Outline
Main Character Descriptions (Up to 5)
Tone of your series (can include no more than 2 comps)
Producing Team
Key Creatives
Goals for your Series
A Creator Statement that includes Why This Idea, Why Me, and Why Now?

Press Kit Material
Any available press kit material

INCLUSION INITIATIVE WAIVER APPLICATION

SeriesFest, in partnership with the Royal Bank of Canada, is launching a sequence of opportunities to make our festival more accessible for all content creators and to celebrate a commitment to diversity and equity, including a waiver for submissions. Pilots applying for the Independent Pilot, Digital Short Series, Late Night, and Collegiate Spotlight competitions have the opportunity to apply for a submission waiver.

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